Originally published 2019-01-27.
Fifty-year-old Russell O'Grady first joined the force in 1986 at the Sydney West branch, when he was 18 years old. He was an icon and is popular among his colleagues and customers.
Russell began working for the restaurant at a time that it was less common for people with learning disabilities to embark on career paths.
His supervisor, Courtney Purcell, said:
"We've got regular customers who come in to see Russell on Thursday and Friday, and the staff looks after him, so we're going to miss him."
His career changed Russell's perspective on his life.
His father, Geoff explained that people have stopped in the street to shake his son's hand. He added: "He's very affectionate, dearly loved and appreciated, to such an extent that we just don't believe it."
He began with the company based on work experience through the Job Support scheme, but he showed how hard he would graft and moved through the ranks, securing a full-time job packing party boxes.
He decided that retirement was the best option because of his health.
Russell celebrated his 30th anniversary with McDonald's, the company had a special cake made for him.
A workplace relationship built over years
The customers who came to see O'Grady and the colleagues who expected to miss him give the story its texture. His career involved contribution, routine and recognition, not merely being present in a workplace. Those details deserve attention alongside the length of service and the celebration that marked it.
Opportunity should not be treated as charity
The account describes a route into work through a support scheme. A useful question is how workplaces can provide suitable opportunities and recognise the skills people bring. O'Grady's story should not imply that a person with Down syndrome is remarkable simply for having a job. The meaningful achievement is his particular career and the relationships he helped create over time.
Russell O’Grady’s 32 years
O’Grady, who has Down syndrome, started at the McDonald’s restaurant in Northmead, in west Sydney, in 1986, when he was 18, and retired in December 2018 after 32 years, largely for health reasons that came with his age. Over the years he cleared and cleaned trays, swept floors, greeted customers, served orders and packed party boxes. He found the job through JobSupport, an employment service for people with intellectual disabilities. “Russell’s tenure is truly remarkable,” said its assistant manager, Wynn Visser. “Everybody knows him and they really love him because he always stops to shake hands and say ‘Hi’ to everyone he knows.” A colleague described him as “a bit of an icon locally”.
Sources: CTV News: Retiring McDonald’s employee, 50, blazed a path for others with Down syndrome Fox News, 17 December 2018: Beloved McDonald’s worker in Australia retires after three decades
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